Qobuz and Astell & Kern have announced a new partnership that will see a dedicated Qobuz app launch on A&K audio players to deliver direct, high-res audio downloads.
The new app launches exclusively on the Android A&K players, the AK240, and the brand-new AK100 II and AK120 II (not to be confused with the AK100 Mk II).
The app will allow users to browse, download and (coming soon) purchase HD audio tracks directly to their portable music player over WiFi.
MORE: Astell & Kern AK120 gets official UK launch
Qobuz claims to offer more than 18 million tracks in CD quality, as well as over 12,000 albums in high-res (24-bit, up to 192kHz). The app has been specifically designed for Astell & Kern and claims to be the first of its kind in Europe.
And the good news for Astell & Kern owners: if you create a Qobuz account, you'll get three 24-bit albums for free.
Henry Park, CEO of Astell & Kern parent company Iriver, said: "This partnership makes truly the best high-res music eco system and it makes perfect sense for us to work closely."
Qobuz is best known as the first CD quality streaming service, rivalling the likes of Spotify by offering better quality music files. The existing Qobuz service is available now on desktop, smartphones and tablets, as well as the likes of Sonos.
MORE: Qobuz review
MORE: HD audio – everything you need to know
by Joe Cox
